ולשמחה מה זו עושה? -התשה או שמחה (זית רענן)

There was another incident involving one gentile who came before Shammai and said to Shammai: Convert me on condition that you teach me the entire Torah while I am standing on one foot. Shammai pushed him away with the builder’s cubit in his hand. This was a common measuring stick and Shammai was a builder by trade. The same gentile came before Hillel. He converted him and said to him: That which is hateful to you do not do to another; that is the entire Torah, and the rest is its interpretation. Go study.

is a Festival in and of itself with regard to the matter of: Peh, zayin, reish; kuf, shin, beit. This is an acronym for: A lottery [payis] in and of itself, i.e., a new lottery is performed on that day to determine which priests will sacrifice the offerings that day, and the order established on Sukkot does not continue; the blessing of time [zeman], i.e., Who has given us life, sustained us, and brought us to this time, in and of itself, as it is recited just as it is recited at the start of each Festival; a Festival [regel ] in and of itself, and there is no mitzva to sit in the sukka (see Tosafot); an offering [korban] in and of itself, as the number of offerings sacrificed on the Eighth Day is not a continuation of the number sacrificed on Sukkot but is part of a new calculation; a song [shira] in and of itself, since the psalms recited by the Levites as the offerings are sacrificed on the Eighth Day are not a continuation of those recited on Sukkot; a blessing [berakha] in and of itself, as the addition to the third blessing of Grace after Meals and to the Amida prayer (see Tosafot) is phrased in a manner different from that of the addition recited on Sukkot.

The Gemara considers another aspect of the character of the Jewish people. It is taught in a baraita in the name of Rabbi Meir: For what reason was the Torah given to the Jewish people? It is because they are impudent, and Torah study will weaken and humble them. A Sage of the school of Rabbi Yishmael taught the following with regard to the verse: “From His right hand went a fiery law for them” (Deuteronomy 33:2); The Holy One, Blessed be He, said: Based on their nature and character, these people, the Jews, are fit to be given a fiery law, a hard and scorching faith. Some say a different version of this baraita: The ways and nature of these people, the Jews, are like fire, as, were it not for the fact that the Torah was given to the Jewish people, whose study and observance restrains them, no nation or tongue could withstand them.

“My dove, in the clefts of the rock, in the covert of the cliff: Show me your appearance, let me hear your voice, for your voice is pleasant, and your appearance is lovely” (Song of Songs 2:14).
“My dove, in the clefts of the rock.” What is “my dove, in the clefts of the rock”? Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I call Israel dove, as it is written: “Ephraim was like a foolish dove with no understanding” (Hosea 7:11). For me, they are like a dove; however, for the nations of the world they are like beasts,’ as it is written: “Judah is a lion cub” (Genesis 49:9), “Naphtali is a hind let loose” (Genesis 49:21), “Dan will be a serpent on the road” (Genesis 49:17), “Benjamin is a ravenous wolf” (Genesis 49:27). All twelve tribes are analogized to beasts, because the nations wage war with Israel and say to Israel: ‘What do you want from Shabbat and from circumcision?’ The Holy One blessed be He fortifies Israel, and they become like beasts before the nations of the world in order to subdue them before the Holy One blessed be He, and before Israel. However, for the Holy One blessed be He they become like an innocent dove and they heed Him. That is what is written: “The people believed and they heard that the Lord remembered” (Exodus 4:31).
The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Moses, why are you standing and shouting? That is what is written: “Why are you shouting to Me?” (Exodus 14:15). The children of Israel do not need you.’ Therefore the Holy One blessed be He said: “My dove, in the clefts of the rock.”
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: The Holy One blessed be He said of Israel: ‘For Me they are innocent like doves; however, for the nations of the world they are as cunning as snakes’—that is what is written: “Shadrakh, Meshakh, and Aved Nego spoke, saying to the king: Nebuchadnezzar…” (Daniel 3:16). If “the king,” why “Nebuchadnezzar,” if “Nebuchadnezzar,” why “the king”? Rather, this is what they said to him: ‘With regard to municipal tax, head tax, state tax, and produce tax, you are our king; that is what is written: “To the king: Nebuchadnezzar.” But with regard to this matter, that you are telling us to prostrate ourselves to your idol, you are Nebuchadnezzar and Nebuchadnezzar is your name; this man and [a dog] who barks are equal to us.’ Nebuchadnezzar barks [navaḥ] like a dog, inflates like a [leather] jug [kad], and chirps [nazar] like a cricket. Immediately, he barked like a dog, inflated like a jug, and chirped like a cricket. It is written: “I observe the king’s directive” (Ecclesiastes 8:2). Rabbi Levi said: I will observe the directive of the King of kings. The mouth that said to us at Sinai: “I am the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2), “And the word of an oath to God” (Ecclesiastes 8:2), based on: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain” (Exodus 20:7).

And this is the same as what Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: There are three impudent ones: The Jewish people among the nations; the dog among animals; and the rooster among birds. And some say: Also the goat among small cattle. And some say: Also the caper bush among trees.

seven days you shall bring offerings by fire to יהוה. On the eighth day you shall observe a sacred occasion and bring an offering by fire to יהוה; it is a solemn gathering: you shall not work at your occupations.

עצרת הוא — The word is derived from the root עצר “to hold back” and suggests: I keep you back with Me one day more. It is similar to the case of a king who invited his children to a banquet for a certain number of days. When the time arrived for them to take their departure he said, “Children, I beg of you, stay one day more with me; it is so hard for me to part with you!” (cf. Rashi on Numbers 29:36 and Sukkah 55b).

The Gemara cites a parable about a king of flesh and blood who said to his servants: Prepare me a great feast that will last for several days. When the feast concluded, on the last day, he said to his beloved servant: Prepare me a small feast so that I can derive pleasure from you alone.

Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair began: “If you seek it like silver…” (Proverbs 2:4). If you seek matters of Torah like these hidden treasures, the Holy One blessed be He will not withhold your reward. This is analogous to a person, if he loses a sela or a kilarin in his house, he will kindle several lamps, several wicks, until he finds them. The matter can be inferred a fortiori; if for these, that [enhance] the temporal life of this world, a person kindles several lamps and several wicks until he discovers them and finds them, matters of Torah, that [are essential for] life in this world and in the World to Come, do you not need to search for them like these hidden treasures? That is: “If you seek it like silver….” Rabbi Elazar said: In all my days, no one preceded me to the study hall and I did not leave a person there and exit. One time I awoke early and I found the collectors of manure and collectors of straw, and I said: “If you seek it like silver and search for it like for hidden treasures, then you will understand fear of the Lord” (Proverbs 2:4–5). We are not even like the collectors of manure and collectors of straw. Thus we have learned that Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair used to say: Alacrity leads to cleanliness. Cleanliness leads to purity. Purity leads to sanctity. Sanctity leads to humility. Humility leads to fear of sin. Fear of sin leads to piety. Piety leads to the Divine Spirit. The Divine Spirit leads to the resurrection of the dead. The resurrection of the dead leads to Elijah the prophet, of blessed memory.
Alacrity leads to cleanliness, as it is stated: “He shall complete atoning for the Sanctuary” (Leviticus 16:20). Cleanliness leads to purity, as it is stated: “The priest shall atone for her and she will be purified” (Leviticus 12:8). Purity leads to sanctity, as it is stated: “He shall purify it and he shall sanctify it” (Leviticus 16:19). Sanctity leads to humility, as it is stated: “For so said the Exalted and Most High, who abides forever and whose name is holy: Exalted and holy I will dwell and I will be with the downtrodden and lowly” (Isaiah 57:15). Humility leads to fear of sin, as it is stated: “In the wake of humility is fear of the Lord…” (Proverbs 22:4). Fear of sin leads to piety, as it is stated: “Then you spoke in a vision to your pious ones” (Psalms 89:20). Piety leads to the Divine Spirit, as it is stated: “Then you spoke in a vision to your pious ones” (Psalms 89:20). The Divine Spirit leads to the resurrection of the dead, as it is stated: “I will place My spirit in you, and you will live” (Ezekiel 37:14). The resurrection of the dead leads to Elijah the prophet, of blessed memory, as it is stated: “Behold, I am sending Elijah the prophet to you [before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord]” (Malachi 3:23).
Rabbi Matna said: What wisdom made as a crown on its head, humility made as a sandal on its heel. What wisdom made a crown on its head [roshah], as it is stated: “The beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord” (Psalms 111:10), humility made a sandal on its heel [akevah], as it is stated: “In the wake of [ekev] humility is fear of the Lord…” (Proverbs 22:4).
The resurrection of the dead is by means of Elijah the prophet, of blessed memory. That is what is written: “Then you will understand fear of the Lord, and you will find knowledge of ” (Proverbs 2:5), this is the Divine Spirit.
Rabbi Simon [said] in the name of Rabbi Ḥalafta: [This is analogous] to a royal adviser who grew prominent in the king’s palace. The king said to him: ‘Make a request; what shall I give you?’ The adviser said: If I request silver and gold, he will give them to me; gems and pearls, he will give them to me. He said: I will request the king’s daughter, and everything will be included. So too, “In Givon, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; God said: Request; what shall I give you?” (I Kings 3:5). Solomon said: If I request silver, gold, gems and pearls, he will give them to me. But I will request wisdom and everything will be included. That is what is written: “Give Your servant an attentive heart” (I Kings 3:9). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Solomon, you requested wisdom and you did not request wealth and property and the lives of your enemies. By your life, wisdom is granted you, and thereby, I will give you wealth and property.’ Immediately, “Solomon awakened and behold, a dream” (I Kings 3:15). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: The dream was fulfilled; a donkey brayed and he knew what it was braying, a bird tweeted and he knew what it was tweeting. Immediately, “he came to Jerusalem and stood before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. He sacrificed burnt offerings, he performed peace offerings, and he made a feast for all his servants” (I Kings 3:15). Rabbi Elazar said: From here it is derived that one makes a feast upon completion of the Torah. Rabbi Yudan said: It is to teach you that anyone who teaches Torah in public is privileged to have the Divine Spirit rest upon him, as so Solomon did. He taught and the Divine Spirit rested upon him and he composed three books: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs.